Merry Christmas

Holidays are joyful

There's always something new

But every day's a holiday

When I'm near to you

The Carpenters

It's Christmas morning here in Madison, Jacky is sleeping, the dogs are crashed as well, and the tree is full of presents, the stockings are hung and filled as well. It is without a doubt the most white Christmas in the history of Wisconsin as we have set a December record with close to 3 feet of snow. In fact it has a real good chance of being the snowiest month in the history of the state. But I promised not to complain about the weather, so I am biting my tongue. I wanted to take Christmas morning to thank quite a few people who have helped make 2008 a fabulous year for me.

I need to thank my 3 girls Jacky, Daisy Jane and Maggie. I spent a lot of 2008 apart from them. It was hard and I missed them and can not thank them enough for the support.











Hopefully, I don't leave anyone out of this grab bag of thank you's. Let me start with my family my parents and two brothers. We don't get together that much, but we sure have a lot of fun when we do, and for the first time in awhile we all got together and it made me really happy.

I need to send a huge thank you to the staff and owners at Fitness Ridge. I spent 11 weeks in their company this year. They have made an immeasurable impact on my life. Their kindness falls like rain and washes over me. Everyone there is amazing, caring, welcoming and accommodating. I send so much Christmas love to them and I don't want to single any of them out. I have my favorites but everyone there made my life so much better.

My fellow campers, and sweat buddies, fellow hikers, and swimmers, and terryaki bowl eaters, fellow treaders and circuit trainers, and chuck-o-rama pals, my Vegas friends and cohorts, my waking up at 6am and spending the next 12 hours working out partners. The staff at Fitness ridge is the blood but without a doubt you guys are the heart. There is no group of people that has meant more to me, made me work harder, made me appreciate what I have, and no group that has ever made me feel more loved. I'm afraid to do this because I know I will leave someone out but just know that every single person that I interacted with there had a positive impact on me. A special hug to Adriana, Caroline, Ronnie, Donna, Diane, Bonnie, Fran, Heather, Wendy, Nancy, Richard, Kelly Jeff, Heidi, Erin, Al, Janice, Ray, Linda, Cal, Karen, Trish, Leigh Ann, Pam, Beth, Meredith, Rachel, Suzanne, Gen, Cindy, Giselle, Diane, Kristin, Sabine, and most of all to the special angel who anonymously made it possible for me to return.

I need to thank all the people in Madison who helped make my whole year fantastic. All my volleyball friends, the staff at Club Tavern, the opponents in the sand, my workout partners Karen, Jenny, and Tanya. My old friends who I reconnected with, my new friends I made in 2008 of which there were more than ever before, Paul, Laurie and Jason, Tanya and Tim, Sara and Allison, Kay and Jamie. I need to thank my staff at Sunshine Daydream who make us the friendliest store in town. Thanks to my friend Tom and his family for a memorable show in Chicago. Thanks to all the musicians who brought me so much joy this year.

Finally thanks to all of you guys for riding along, especially those of you that take the time to occasionally comment. 2009 is going to have a change to the blog for the first 8 weeks of the year. I am going to use the blog as a food and exercise log to get me from the new year to the return to Fitness Ridge in March. I hope everyone has a magical Christmas and let's make 2009 the best year ever. Peace, Love, Joy and Happiness, Jim